Bush's Base Betrayal

The Washington Post ^ | Sunday, May 21, 2006 | Richard A. Viguerie

[gwb43_2004]

As a candidate in 2000, George W. Bush was a Rorschach test. Country Club Republicans saw him as another George H.W. Bush; some conservatives, thinking wishfully, saw him as another Ronald Reagan. He called himself a "compassionate conservative," which meant whatever one wanted it to mean. Experts from across the party's spectrum were flown to Austin to brief Bush and reported back: "He's one of us."

Republicans were desperate to retake the White House, conservatives were desperate to get the Clinton liberals out and there was no direct heir to Reagan running for president. So most conservatives supported Bush as the strongest candidate -- some enthusiastically and some, like me, reluctantly. After the disastrous presidency of his father, our support for the son was a triumph of hope over experience.

[rdb3]

Ya'll better nomimate a real converstiove (like Newt) in 08 or it's the Constitution Party for me.

Okay. See ya.

[FOG724]

I would not like to see Newt run even though I agree with him most times.

[jpsb]

Works for me, see ya.

[smoothsailing]

It would be better if you considered the liberal use of paragrafhs, but I managed to read your reply, none the less.

What I find fascinating is the contradiction within your argument. Your concern is that there are only 5 major oil companies operating within the US today. I don't know if that's true, but I'll take your word for it.

Because there are only 5, you think the government should regulate them. That's the part I don't get.

Certainly there was a time when there were more than 5, perhaps 10, 20. who can remember?

Was it not government regulation that reduced that distant memory of a greater number to the 5 we have today?

Will more government regulation reduce that 5 to 3, or to 1?

Or maybe even none.

[heights]

[Hostage]

You make really good points.

George W. Bush was several steps in character above the Clintons and for that we are grateful. But he is several steps in character and communication below that of Ronald Reagan.

We did not get Reagan when we elected Bush. We may never get a Reagan again but we can try to keep a Reagan standard to measure our principles against.

Do whatever you can in the meantime to push Conservatives into the polls this Fall. We must hold onto the House and elect more Conservatives there.

[unseen]

no it was mostly the low of oil that allowed the number to become less.

The government believed rightly/wrongly that due to the low price of oil and increase importance worldwide of OPEC and other national oil companies that to have the oil industry in the US survive it had to allow oil companies to merger This they believed would allow the USA to compete on the global stage. Which to the governments credit it has to a large degree.

However, that decrease in American oil companies has also had the unwanted side effect of reducing the internal competition of the oil companies. When oil was low this was not a problem because the governments responsibility was to ensure that oil and gasoline continued to flow.

The government made a trade off. It allowed the mergers of the oil companies so the industry could survive when oil was low. Now that oil is high the need for competition is more important for the consumer to ensure a free market.

ensuring a free market is a constantly changing responsibility of the government. Sometimes you want more competition and sometimes you want less. The "market" is very good at the latter but very bad at the former.

[smoothsailing]

Thank you for the paragrafhs( or is it paragraphs?).

I'm still stuck on government being an impediment to a free market, but that's just my way.

I thank you for your point of view, and as just an average Joe kind of guy, I will consider what you have told me.

Take Care....

[L.N. Smithee]

at least pombo will lose his seat, a little ray of sunshine

Jeez Louise, you want to lose the ONLY Republican in the Bay Area?

[kenth]

He had to worry about the Soviet Union blowing us ALL up.

[RobbyS]

Bush has always been upfront with his position on border policy.

[staytrue]

My 'betrayal moment'? When he referred to the Minutemen as 'vigilantes.'

Your moment is rantings of a single issue conservative.

[staytrue]

We have been lied too and ignored too many times.

You've never been lied to and only ignored on immigration.

[staytrue]

any one of the contenders, besides McCain, was a better choice.

I can't remember a single on of their names.

[staytrue]

I hope Bush's approval goes to zero.

Then you hope for the destruction of the United States because that is the only way this will happen. Have a nice day.

[nathanbedford]

No warship of the United States has ever struck it colors in the face of the enemy.

USS Pueblo?

[cbkaty]

How do you figure that?

He has failed to keep the 2 factions on the right track moving forward....it's that simple....think Bully Pulpit...

[nathanbedford]

Of the 337 posts on this thread, your posts deserve commendation as the most intelligent, persuasive and coherent.

[MaDeuce]

"I am not laughing just pitying you."

Ha ha ha ha. Aw come on, he ain't that bad.

[johnboy]

no one can gainsay your name is undeserved. brevity is the soul of wit. touche.